The Yield Lab hits 100-company milestone
A decade from the formation of its first fund in St. Louis, Missouri in the US, global early-stage venture capital firm The Yield Lab celebrates investing in 100+ agri-food tech companies
Water
Early warning window: Delayed impact of extreme weather on wheat offers crucial opportunity for intervention
A study on winter wheat yield in Henan, China has uncovered how the full impact of extreme weather lags by one to two years, offering a crucial window for preventative action.
Meet the start-up hoping to turn Europe’s wastewater into high-quality fertilisers
Finland’s NPHarvest has launched its first industrial-scale ‘nutrient catcher’ demo unit in Turkey
Turning to tech: Japan promotes smart fisheries to turn around declining industry
Japan will prioritise the development of technologies in an effort to boost its troubled fishing and aquaculture industries, according to a white paper published by Japan’s Fisheries Agency (JFA)
Freshwater alternative: Why seafood may be more suitable for saline aquaponics than crops
Saline aquaponics could help lift pressure on freshwater seafood and crop sources, but the system is constrained by plant salt tolerance levels, new data reveals.
Can Verdi switch on farmers to the benefits of automated irrigation?
Canadian company Verdi – which has just raised $6.5M CAD ($4.7 million USD) to expand – retrofits existing farm irrigation equipment with smart, wireless devices and a digital management platform. The strategy can make irrigation automation accessible to...
Four ways ag can improve crop monitoring, water management, fertiliser use
New analysis shows how deep collaboration can transform crop monitoring, fertiliser use and water management
Water saver: Greenhouse tech recycles vapour into irrigation water, boosts yields by 120%
Researchers develop device that reclaims water vapour using advanced gel technology, saving nearly 79% of water and increasing crop yields by 120%.
‘A new frontier’: New Zealand backs open ocean aquaculture to unlock NZD1.4bn growth potential
New Zealand sets its sights on expanding aquaculture into the open ocean to realise NZ$1.4bn in revenue potential.
Aquaculture advance: JAH Cultura’s tech accelerates shrimp growth, lowers feed use
Singapore’s JAH Cultura’s ceramic alloy tech has been found to boost shrimp growth while increasing microalgae, potentially lowering feed requirements.
Denmark’s Cordulus launches rain forecasting model tailored to European farmers
Cordulus, which provides AI-powered weather forecasting, has unveiled its newest rain prediction model, which it claims sets a new benchmark for accuracy in weather forecasting.
Co-design ‘critical’ to overcoming smallholder adoption
Creating solutions in collaboration with users is key to solving slow take-up rates among smallholder farmers, according to experts.
Meet the Swedish cleantech company given €22.5 million to tackle ‘forever chemicals’
The European Investment Bank (EIB) is giving significant financial support to Chromafora to step up Europe’s fight against widespread pollutants known as ‘forever chemicals’.
Phytech hopes new tie-ups will accelerate adoption of digital farming tech
Israel-based digital farmer Phytech has announced partnerships with major irrigation solution providers Rivulis and Netafim.
Scientists say yeast and green algae improves water treatment
Researchers from Osaka Metropolitan University have discovered that a combination of yeast and green algae improves water treatment efficiency.
EIT Food launches new start-up accelerator to serve future resilient agriculture
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is partnering with EIT Food, the world’s largest food innovation community, to launch a new accelerator bub for start-ups in the EU.
What does Bowery’s closure tell us about the future of vertical farming?
Bowery Farming may not be the last vertical farming company to fail before the sector begins a period of more stable scaling and growth.
Cheer for Italy’s agrisolar sector as projects attract €185m
Private equity firm and renewable energy investor Capital Dynamics has raised €185 million to finance two of Italy's largest agrivoltaics projects in Sicily.
Watch: Farms are crying out for innovation, says UK-Agri-Tech Centre CEO
Farmers are not resistant change, says Phil Bicknell, CEO at the newly merged UK-Agri-Tech Centre. But the “three Cs” of communication, collaboration and cash are needed to help them adopt newer sustainable practices.
Last chance to register for FREE webinar dissecting Asia’s growing agri-food ecosystem
AgTechNavigator's FREE AgTech Innovation and Investment – APAC editorial webinar takes place on November 6. Register your attendance today so you don’t miss out. The event will start on Wednesday, November 6, 2024 at 5:00 PM SGT (Singapore).
Plans to turn pongamia oil into biofuel move up a gear
Terviva, the company aiming to plant 200 million pongamia trees over 10 years for food, feed and fuel, has received investment from Chevron Renewable Energy Group, as mining giant Rio Tinto also looks to pongamia as a feedstock for renewable diesel...
What’s gone wrong for Ynsect?
The French poster child of the insect farming industry has filed a safeguard plan after failing to find enough financing for its expansion plans. Can it find cash from some investors?
Project aims to create a unified methodology for the UK ag sector
Lloyds Banking Group and Soil Association Exchange have joined forces to offer what they call a ‘first of its kind’ environmental baselining assessment in a bid to create more sustainable and profitable farming practices.
Plant breeders want unified global policy on genome-edited crops to boost food security
International Seed Federation members are calling for harmonised regulations on new breeding technologies such as genome editing to accelerate impactful innovation.
Agtech investor profile
Serra Ventures on why investors will continue to be drawn to the rewards of agri-tech
It’s currently a challenging time for venture capitalists in the sector. But Tim Hoerr, founder and CEO of Serra Ventures, can’t think of a better category to be in.
'Seasonality can kill you as a company': Can a new standards framework help bring successful products to market quicker?
A new standard-setting playbook edited by Leaps By Bayer, the impact investment arm of Bayer, aims to spur innovation and investment across the sector.
Innovation Insider Country profile
India: Are the bets back on?
After the crisis in funding in 2023, India’s agtech landscape is adjusting. But can investment be directed to the right places? Harry Holmes investigates.
Has the environmental case for vertical farming just been stacked up?
Growing lettuce vertically could be as good for the environment as growing them in fields and could save 8,000 hectares of land in the UK, according to a new study from the University of Surrey and the University of Aberdeen.
The smart ag projects helping Brazil’s coffee farmers save up to 30% of their water
Brazil supplies about a third of the world's coffee, making it by far the world's largest producer. But with dwindling water supplies threatening the industry, producers are busy with efforts to protect this vital resource.
Health-threat ‘forever chemicals’ removed from water with 3D-printed ceramic ink
3D printing offers effective, scalable way to remove harmful chemicals, according to scientists.
PepsiCo commits $1.7 million to drive young people into US ag
With farmers under the age of 35 making up just 9% of the US farming industry, PepsiCo Foods North America has launched the Planting Pathways Initiative (PPI) to expand opportunities in the sector.
California: Bold moves needed for agriculture to adapt to climate change
A new report details farming’s needs for climate resilience.
Inside a billion dollar deal: Why Merck acquired Elanco aqua health
Merck Animal Health, known as MSD Animal Health outside North America, has completed its acquisition of Elanco's aqua business, a deal it claims will bolster its leadership within that sector.
Will the new UK government embrace gene-edited food?
Plant scientists in the UK are demanding clarity from the new government to unlock the potential economic and environmental benefits of new precision breeding techniques such as gene editing.
US vertical farmer Plenty to expand in the Middle East
Plenty is forming a joint venture with Mawarid, a subsidiary of Alpha Dhabi Holding, in a US$680 million deal to develop a network of indoor farms across Gulf Cooperation Council member countries over the next five years.
Can GenAI really predict the future of crop yields? Ask Cropin
We caught up with India’s Cropin Technology, which has just partnered with Google's Gemini generative AI chatbot to launch Sage, a real-time intelligence platform for the agricultural sector.
Start-up’s fundraise illustrates need to address climate credit’s ‘chequered’ past
Mitti Labs, which aims to reduce methane emissions in rice farming, has just secured $3 million in equity investment thanks to its prospects of being able to meet rising demand for verified carbon credits.
Co-op the latest UK supermarket to support greener farming
Co-op has unveiled plans to support its British farmers to adopt sustainable farming practices to boost sustainability and address future environmental issues.
Farmbot fundraise illustrates demand for water saving solutions
As water scarcity intensifies and environmental pressures mount, smart water management is becoming essential for ensuring the sustainability and productivity of agriculture. Leveraging data, technology, and best practices can help farmers grow more with...
The new projects aimed at transforming rice farming in South Asia
Mitti Labs, a tech-enabled project developer focused on sustainable agriculture, specifically in the rice farming sector, has unveiled five rice projects in India to reduce methane emissions, increase water security and build farmer resilience.
Urgent need for ag-food sector in middle-income countries to ramp up emissions reduction efforts: World Bank report
The global ag-food system has the potential to significantly reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, with middle-income countries (MICs) in particular needing to reverse their collective role as the world’s largest emitters of GHGs related to ag-food.
UK agtech faces funding, scalability challenges amid sustainability and Brexit concerns
Despite being backed by a world-renowned science base, the UK's agri-tech industry grapples with significant challenges in translating its research into practical applications for end-users.
Why financing smallholder farmers matters... experts discuss
Agtech solutions must address financing for smallholder farmers, together with scope 3 emissions, and inequity across multiple sectors of the industry in order to meet sustainability goals. This was the consensus among panellists at a recent webinar...
BetterSeeds welcomes former Bayer executive as chairman
The Israel-based company that uses gene-editing technology, specifically CRISPR, to genetically improve crops and design better seeds, has announced the appointment of Dr. Helmut Schramm, a former Bayer Crop Life executive and highly respected...
Iyris gets $16m to scale tech for ‘underserved’ growers in harsh conditions
Iyris (formerly RedSea), which helps growers in the most difficult farming environments around the world to increase crop yields, reduce input costs and risk, and extend growing seasons, has completed a $16 million Series A fundraise. Now, the hard work...
Precision irrigation company expands product offer in Europe as region’s water fears grow
WiseConn will launch a new product in Europe to give agricultural operations, farms, and agribusinesses more irrigation management solutions to improve water efficiency, crop yields, and overall farm productivity.
Overlooked in carbon counting: Ground-breaking method estimates agricultural pond methane emissions in Australia
Researchers in Australia have developed a revolutionary approach to assess methane emissions from agricultural ponds, crucial for national greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory reports.
Precision ag start-up primed for growth after new partnerships
Canada-based Verdi says new support from Silicon Valley accelerators will allow it to rapidly scale its platform for farm automation.
Global ag is ‘dishearteningly under-optimised’: Hexafarms gets €1.3m to digitise indoor farming
Hexafarms, a start-up which develops software for indoor commercial food production, has announced the successful close of a €1.3 million pre-Seed funding round led by leading European early-stage investors Speedinvest with participation from Mudcake and...
New approach to cultivar selection needed to maximise lettuce production in greenhouse vertical farming
Lettuce cultivars should be selected for their ability to thrive under varying light conditions in order to maximise production in vertical farming, say researchers in Thailand.